Tips for Writers
Group Etiquette
By Julie Rogers and June Ford
My editor and I frequently talk to writers—many who are or have been members
of writers groups. More and more we find ourselves pulling out these tips
because we believe healthy writing etiquette among peers encourages good writing
habits. When a writer begins working professionally with an editor, the
carryovers from training, etiquette, and experience become clear. If a writer is
inflexible or impatient, that comes out in the process. On the other hand, if an
editor is a frustrated writer, the end product will be overwritten and
stylistically untrue to the writer’s original vision.
We encourage struggling writers groups to put the following tips into practice
for at least three meetings. We believe the best writing comes from writers who,
by hard knocks or intention, are moving into higher realms of personal growth.
Above all, we encourage all writers to continue becoming good writers, a process
we believe never stops—by studying the craft, reading, and of course, writing
your dream.
· Inventory—Who are the participants in the group, and what
are they writing? A writers group with longevity caters to the writing interests
and skills of the entire bunch. Periodic surveys are helpful in determining
whether needs are being met.
· Involvement—Encourage members to speak to the group on
topics they feel comfortable presenting. Topics don’t necessarily have to
center around the craft of writing, but can pertain to work, experience,
hobbies, etc.
· Reviews—Book or movie reviews teach writers about
elements of critique and how to examine their own work. Encourage members to
present reviews, allowing ten-to-fifteen minutes, or one per meeting. When
writing a review, include all statistics (genre, author, screenwriter,
publisher, producer, director, year of copyright, etc.). Give a brief synopsis
of the story, including the protagonist’s external and internal conflicts.
Compare the work, if applicable, to other works that author/writer has produced.
List strong and weak points of the work.
· Written Critiques—Divide into subgroups of writers who
share the same writing interests. The subgroup should be no larger than three
people. Members should bring a predetermined amount of material (usually around
five pages) to be read. The subgroup will read every set of pages silently for
ten minutes and make notes or corrections on the copy. When all sets of pages
are read, the group or subgroups will discuss each manuscript for ten minutes.
· Oral Critiques—Divide into subgroups of writers who share
the same writing interests. Each member should bring a predetermined amount of
typewritten pages (no more than ten) to be read out loud. Allow ten minutes
after each reading for oral critiques from other members of the subgroup.
· Guest Lectures—If the group has no coffer for paying
guest speakers, seek out possible freebies from new authors, editorial services,
agents, area experts, and area colleges. Remember that these lectures should not
center on the craft of writing. Area newspapers, and radio and television
stations are good resources for who’s who or the latest up-and-coming in your
area.
· Positive Feedback—Read the entire work. As a general rule
of thumb, find and list three positive points first about the work you’re
critiquing.
· Negative Feedback—Critiques that offer solutions to
correct a problem are preferable. If you offer negative criticism, be prepared
to present two possible solutions for every negative comment.
· Share the Work—Whether by election or by proxy, members
should rotate secretarial and moderator duties to avoid staleness and burnout.
· Socials/Outings—Downtime and socials provide a more
casual, less structured and intimidating atmosphere for discussing lengthier
projects or writing woes. If the group consistently meets at one location, this
change of setting can do wonders for fueling creative energies.
· Respect Craft—Writers who truly love the craft will
respect its difficulty and be enthused by any effort to write. Whether a
manuscript is great, good, or terrible, someone took the time to write it.
That’s commendable. No one writes the best work the first time out. We
encourage writers groups to respect writers who really work at craft regardless
of ethnicity, background, or education. These writers may be the very ones who
become really good working writers.
· Second Opinion—Most writers share the experience of
limping away from a critique. Subjecting your baby to criticism—even good
criticism—is tough. Collect a spread of criticisms, usually between two and
five, and never, ever rework a manuscript on one critique alone. Good critiques
will adhere to the feedback tips given above and will genuinely seek to be
helpful, versus simply ripping someone’s work apart. If a writer in your group
goes home, puts away the project, and never pulls it out again, due to a
critique—there’s a good chance it was a bad critique.
· Read, digest, study—Writing is challenging enough, and
making time to read can be even more challenging. Purchase a cassette or CD
Walkman for listening to audio books while doing house chores or exercising.
Stowaway books and audio books in your car. You’ll be surprised how much time
you have on the road, waiting in line at the bank, or the post office, or at
restaurants—even if it means reading in snatches.
· Share book and movie reviews with other
writers. You obviously don’t have time to read everything, but a comprehensive
review from another writer or book club member can broaden your horizons. Read
good, acclaimed works, classics, trades, magazines, breaking news and events.
Read what interests you, but also try broadening your perspective (and writing
capabilities) by reading a variety of genres. Consider forming or joining a book
club. Reading lists are available from Writer’s Digest as well as some
editorial services, book clubs, and online writers’ web sites. Reading story
analyses and summaries is good practice, as well. Study what works. Cliff Notes
usually offer good story, character, and writing element analyses.
· Golden Rule—Sadly, many
conferences and online critique groups today feel they have to post requests for
participants to be kind to each other. Cutthroat behavior can permeate a
writer’s world at any level. We encourage writers not to play that game.
Working writers with longevity in the industry establish their careers with
genuine courtesy and appreciation of other people, especially other writers.
For more information about our writing workshops, see www.jjworkshops.com.
Julie Rogers' Bio
Julie Rogers’ articles have been featured in numerous self-help,
inspirational, and fiction publications, including Coping With Cancer, Daily
Meditation, Complete Woman, and the annual anthology Writes of Passage: Every
Woman has a Story! She is the author of Happy Tails: How Pets Can Help You
Survive Divorce.
Julie, the 1999 Writer’s Digest Writing Competition Grand Prize Winner for her
short story “House Call," is recipient of numerous awards for her stage
and screenplays. She is a producer at True Grit Films and represented by
Jeff Ross Management. Julie is a journalism graduate of Southern Methodist
University in Dallas, Texas.
Rogers' book Happy Tails is available on www.amazon.com.
June Ford's Bio
June Ford has worked in a variety of editorial positions for publishing houses,
magazines, and newspapers, including in-house for publishing companies as a
managing editor, project editor, and editor. She has been commissioned to write
trade books ranging from psychology to business and finance, coffee table
pictorials to true crime.
In the genres of children’s, juvenile, and young adult, June has worked with
everything from board, picture, and educational books to nonfiction and fiction
series. The majority of the books she has worked with have been or are slated to
be nationally or internationally distributed. June has a bachelor’s degree in
journalism from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.
